Tray.



0. HEBESTREIT..

TRAY.

APPLIUATION FILED JUNE; 6, 190B.

Patented Oct. 20, 1908. 1

UNITED s'rA Es PATENT oFFroE.

OTTO I-IEBESTREIT, or COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO.

TRAY.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OT'ro HEBESTREIT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Colorado Springs, in the county of El Paso and State of Colorado, have invented a new and useful Tray, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to trays or waiters such as are commonly employed in hotels, restaurants, and other places of public eating, for transferring articles of food or the like from the kitchen to the various tables.

The object of the invention is, in a novel and practical manner, and Without increasing the size as to marginal proportions, of a tray, to enable a waiter with ease, and with security against accidents, to carry at one time double, or more the quantity of cooked articles, and plates, cups, saucers, and other eating utensils, than Would be possible with the ordinary tray such as is in common use, whereby the time lost by the waiter in returning to the kitchen to complete an order and the delay incident to his order receiving attention will be obviated, thus preventing a source of annoyance and com laint that is of common occurrence in all p aces where refreshments are served, no matter how well trained the corps of Waiters and assistants in the kitchen may be. Furthermore, to re tain the articles of food in the best condition for consumption by shielding them from the action of currents of cold air. Furthermore, to provide an article of this character that shall be thoroughly sanitary and may be kept always clean and in the best condition for use.

With the above and other objects in view, as will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction and. combination of parts of a waiter or tray, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed. 4

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, and in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a tray or waiter constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a view in vertical cross section of one end of the tray, displaying the manner in which one of the compartments for containing utensils, such as knives, forks, or the like, is attached to the device.

The article embodies two trays, 1 and 2, Which are practically counter-parts of each Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed J one 6, 1908.

i'atented Oct. 20, 196

Serial No. 437,166.

other, and may be of the contour shown, or otherwise.

Secured to the tray 1 as by solder or the like, is a shield 3, which incloses one side and the'larger portion of two ends of the tray. This shield may be of any desired height, and has its upper edge reinforced as by being bent upon itself. If preferred, the edges may be wired or beaded in the usual manner, and as this will be readily understood, detailed illustration thereof is omitted.

Secured at an intermediate portion 6f the shield and at each end thereof, is a tubular keeper 4 which in this instance is shown as angular in cross section, and these keepers are designed to act as reinforces for the shield. As shown in Fig. 1, the lower ends of the keepers bear against the rim 5 of the tray, and are secured thereto preferably by solder, and the upper ends of the keepers terminate short of the reinforced or flanged edge of the shield. While it will generally be preferred to have the keepers constructed as shown, yet, as will be obvious, they need only extend a short distance of the height of the shield and still perform the function for which they are designed, namely, to receive supports 6 that depend from the rim portion of the tray 2. These supports in addition to acting as a means for temporarily assembling the shield and the tray 2, also act as legs to hold the tray above the surface of a table or other rest upon which it may be placed, thus to protect such rest against in ury as from the heat radiating from dishes resting on the tray.

In order to hold the tray 2 and shield temporarily assembled, any suitable form of locking means may be employed, that herein shown consisting of hooks 7 one of which is carried by each of the keepers, the hooks being designed to engage eyes 8 secured to the under side of the tray 2 adjacent to the supports.

Projecting from each end of the tray 1 is an extension 9 the two extensions constituting handles by which the tray may be lifted and carried, and in order to reinforce the extensions, metallic braces 10 may be employed, which are soldered or otherwise secured to the outer portion of the rim of the tray 1 and to the under side of the extensions. Each extension is provided with a beaded edge 11, that is designed to operate as a stop to hold the compartment 12 against shifting.

As shown in Fig. 1, each of these compart ments is approximately semi-circular in cross section, and its straight wall is provided with a lip 13 that is designed to engage with an upstanding flange 14 secured to the shield adjacent to its upper edge, it being understood that there will be a flange at each end of the shield, and that each of the compartments will have its straight wall pro vided with a lip to engage the flange.

As will be apparent, the co-action between the bead 11, lip and flange will be effective to prevent a compartment from becoming detached accidentally from the extension; but to preclude the possibility of such accident, the beaded edge 15 of the tray 2 will operate as a stop to secure this result, as will be un derstood on reference to Fig. 2, from which it will be seen that in order to disconnect a compartment, without removing the tray 2, the compartment will have to be lifted until the lip and flange are disengaged, and the compartment tilted, whereupon it may bewithdrawn.

In the use of the article, both of the trays may be utilized for containing articles of food, but those that are highly heated, or which it is desired to retain for the lon est possible time in a heated condition, wil be placed upon the tray 1, and the other articles, such as bread and the like, will be placed upon the tray 2. The compartments 12 will be utilized to receive knives, forks, and spoons.

When the waiter carries the tray to the table that he is to serve, he may first remove the contents of the tray 2, and then disconnect this from the shield and remove the articles supported by the tray 1. In seating the tray, care should be observed to pre sent the shield to the wind, so that the artioles of food will be kept hot. Of course, it

with lateral extensions and with an upstanding shield, a compartment supported by the extensions, means for holding the compartments against accidental disconnection from the shield, and a second tray supported by the shield.

2. A waiter embodying a tray provided with lateral extensions and an upstanding shield, compartments supported by the ex tensions, a second tray supported by the shield, and means for holding the compartments and second tray detachably connected.

3. A waiter embodying a tray provided with lateral extensions and with an upstanding shield, flanges carried by the shield, compartments supported by the extensions and r 7 having lips to interlock with the flanges, a second tray supported by the shield, and means for holding the second tray and shield detachably assembled.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

OTTO HEBESTREIT.

Witnesses:

C. E. DOYLE, FRANK S. APPLEMAN. 

